Hearing a plea of the father of the Bulandshahr gang rape victim that the trial in the case be shifted out of Uttar Pradesh, the Supreme Court issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and Minister Azam Khan in the matter.

The top court has sought government’s response on why a criminal case cannot be lodged against the minister.

The court has given Khan three weeks to respond to its notice and until then, the CBI inquiry into the case is on hold.

“Why should people in power and authority make such statement which shakes faith of victim in justice delivery system,” the court said.

DGP Javeed Ahmad at the crime scene in Bulandshahr indianexpress

It also appointed jurist and senior lawyer FS Nariman as amicus curiae in the matter which will now be taken up after three weeks.

The man, whose wife and daughter were gangraped, had on August 13 moved the apex court seeking transfer of the case to Delhi “in the interest of justice”, besides lodging of an FIR against Khan as well as several policemen.

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The incident happened on the night of July 29 when a group of highway robbers stopped the car of the Noida-based family and sexually assaulted the woman and her daughter on the highway near Bulandshahr after dragging them out of the vehicle.

Police officials at the crime scene pressks

The Allahabad High Court had ordered a CBI probe into the incident besides deciding to monitor the investigation.

In the plea filed in the apex court through lawyer Kislay Pandey, the petitioner said the probe should be conducted by “some other competent agency”. The plea said Mr. Khan’s statement “substantially outrages” the “modesty” of the victims and their family. It sought “appropriate damages” for the victims besides a direction that the State and others, including the DGP, be stopped from infringing on the fundamental right to life of the victims.

“Direct the respondents [State Home Secretary, Mr. Khan, DGP and SSP of Bulandshahr) to pay the appropriate damages to the petitioner as per law,” it said.

The culprits naradanews

The plea alleged that the police did not come for help despite the victims making several distress calls on the helpline number and sought “direct registration of an FIR against erring police officials.”

The plea said, “Azam Khan called a press conference and publicly insulted petitioner by terming the entire incident a political conspiracy only and nothing else and thereby caused various acts and deeds being substantially outrageous to the modesty of the petitioner.”